Teachers union files lawsuits to block Chicago school closings

[Judi Lynn]

Source: UPI

Teachers union files lawsuits to block Chicago school closings
Published: May 16, 2013 at 3:14 PM

CHICAGO, May 16 (UPI) -- Chicago's plan to close 53 elementary schools disproportionately affects poor black students, the Chicago Teachers Union says.

The union filed two lawsuits Wednesday in an effort to block the closings, the Chicago Tribune reported. The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the plan next week.

A similar legal effort last year was dismissed but is being appealed. One of the new suits seeks a delay of at least a year in any school closings, arguing that the board has not allowed time for a meaningful review, while the other asks for a permanent injunction, arguing the closings will affect children in special needs programs.

"For the 72 schools that defendants have closed to date, African-American children make up more than 90 percent of the displaced children; and in currently proposed closings, they make up more than 80 percent of the displaced children," the second complaint says. "Yet African-American children constitute only 42 percent of the children in public schools."

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/05/16/Teachers-union-files-lawsuits-to-block-Chicago-school-closings/UPI-66961368731666/#ixzz2TUDnnMA0

[socialsecurityisAAA]

1. In the future these closing will be considered to be some of the WORST CRIMINAL ACTS

of our time, along with the purposeful dismantlement of our public education system.
The people responsible will be considered WAR CRIMINALS, and rightly so. The war against the working class and poor is the longest fought and deadliest war.
Children deserve so much more than we give them today. They are our future and our responsibility!

[yurbud]

2. this is a war on the middle class as well--how many middle class families can afford private school?

and what educated person would want to send their kids to the scam McSchools that will replace traditional public schools (whatever the flaws with the older kind)?

[socialsecurityisAAA]

4. Truly. Its disgusting.

I imagine, unfortunately, public money will be taken from the public schools and shifted into these FOR PROFIT schools that will be owned by huge corporate/banking institutions. Wasn't that the idea to begin with?? Isn't that why corporations/financiers lobbied to de-fund and weaken the public education system in the first place?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. That's my piece of shit mayor. nt

[blkmusclmachine]

5. Obama's Race to the Top (of the pile of $$$)

[joeglow3]

6. Whats the answer???

I ask this seriously. Our city has many public schools with low enrollment in the older parts of town. This also happens to be where the lower income population lives, which is predominantly minority. Contrast this to suburbs, where the schools are bursting at the seams.

How long do you keep a school open that is running at 30-50% capacity? Do you consolidate the school with the one a mile over that is also operating at 30-50% capacity?

I am not claiming to know the answer, but this is clearly an inefficient business model that I would expect to cause education costs to skyrocket.